DCE, Shai Traditional Council dismiss Nii Quaye Annan’s allegations of forceful takeover of lands

The Shai Osudoku District Assembly and the Shai Traditional Council have rubbished allegations of forceful takeover of individual lands for the reconstruction of the Dodowa market without recourse to legitimate processes.

The two parties in a joint press conference held at the conference room of the Shai Osudoku District Assembly on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 aimed at responding to and clarifying their respective positions on what they call, “non-factual information” delivered through a press conference held by Nii Quaye Annan II, who is the Krontihene and Acting Akwashongtse of Teshie, denied a myriad of allegations put out made by the latter.

District Chief Executive for Shai Osudoku, Mr. Daniel Akuffo speaking at the press conference said: “The Shai Osudoku District Assembly shall under no circumstances deny any rightful owner of a piece of land in the Dodowa market, payment of compensation due him or her for purposes of the construction of the market.”

The DCE who accused Nii Quaye Annan II and one madam Adisi of obstructing the execution of the project by convincing some families to demand immediate compensation when the contractor was just about mobilizing to site said the actions of the two came after the land owners had reached an agreement with the assembly to proceed with the project pending the payment of compensations to them.

Mr. Daniel Akuffo said the assembly was ready to pay “any outstanding bills of crop compensation provided it was justified by appropriate documentations,” but denied any issues of failed crop compensations as claimed by Nii Quaye Annan II.

He also denied allegations of collecting Ghc 50.00 and Ghc 300.00 respectively from market women for different purposes.

Though the DCE said the assembly had the legitimate powers to issue temporary permits and business operation permit for purposes, he nevertheless challenged Nii Quaye Annan II to produce permits he alleged the assembly issued to market women to erect fabricated containers for which the assembly collected money.

With the assembly at the last stage of receiving the Executive Instrument for the payment of the compensations, determining the rightful ownership of the 16.680 acres of land in question remains critical in the fulfilment of this obligation.

The Government of Ghana through the Coastal Development Authority secured funding for the reconstruction of the Dodowa market.

The Assembly Chief also debunked allegations made by one Azila which purported that the DCE was using his office to support the activities of some land guards to attack him and destroy his estate.

He condemned the activities of the land guards in the district which had led to several clashes, destruction of properties and subsequent arrests of some suspects including the said Azila with the case currently under investigations by the Tema Regional Police Command.

On his part, the Chief of Dodowa, Nene Okukrubuor Tei Kwesi Agyemang V accused Nii Quaye Annan II of fomenting trouble in the land acquisition process and construction of the Dodowa market.

Nene Okukrubuor Tei Kwesi Agyemang V who described Nii Quaye Annan II as a settler in Shai Osudoku questioned his basis for instigating the land owners against the plans of the assembly to construct the market.

He said the traditional council held successful meetings with the acclaimed owners of the land together with the DCE where the various parties agreed that construction of the market could go on while boundary issues were discussed.

While he advised the acclaimed land owners that a proper demarcation was needed to determine the sizes of each land, the Dodowa chief said some of the land owners who could not identity their boundaries objected to the advice, a situation Nii Quaye Annan II took advantage of to foment trouble.

“The so called Nii Quaye Annan II is not a title holder within Shai Osudoku Traditional Area so far as traditions are concerned.” Said Nene Okukrubuor Tei Kwesi Agyemang V.

“He’s the Akwashongtse of Teshie and we’re not part of Teshie, Teshie is not part of Dodowa so I would have been happy that Nii Quaye Annan II if he really is a traditional ruler would have come in support of the traditional council to make sure that this market construction is done successfully.”

The chief maintained that the Krontihene of Teshie and the Acting Akwashongtse of Teshie was becoming a blocking stone for the assembly to proceed with the construction of the market, though he does not own lands in the area.

He cautioned Nii Quaye Annan II to desist from holding himself as a chief or title holder in The Shai Osudoku Traditional Area as the traditional council was preparing to take him on his numerous claims.